Fetus recovery: State to step up vigil in some rural nursing homes

kolkata: State Health department will strengthen surveillance on a section of rural nursing homes in the far off districts after a recent incident in which at least 17 fetuses were recovered from a garbage vat in Howrah's Uluberia on Tuesday.

A team from the health department has already carried out an inspection at four nursing homes in Uluberia and examined various documents of these nursing homes and the register sheets of the gynecology department.

The Health department team has however spotted some lapses on the part of some nursing homes. According to sources, the health department will carry out drives in various districts to keep a tab on the activities of some nursing homes. It is often alleged that some private nursing homes are involved in malpractices.

The main purpose of the move is to ensure that no illegal abortions take place in nursing homes.

It may be mentioned here that some rag pickers saw a sack dumped at the garbage vat in Uluberia on Tuesday. When they opened the sack, they found several fetuses. Immediately, they informed local people who subsequently informed the Uluberia Municipality and police.

Later, the sack full of the fetus was recovered by the staff of Uluberia Sub Divisional Hospital in presence of the civic body officials. Local people alleged that the fetuses were dumped by the local nursing homes.